Thespians are in for an Easter treat as the Kenya National Theatre reopens its restaurant after a two-year hiatus.
The restaurant has long served as a melting pot of cultures and a creative garage where scripts and productions have taken shape.
Known as the Crib, the space has also hosted performances by budding artistes. It is here that songstress Suzanna Owiyo, Ohangla icon Jack Nyadundo, Poxy Pressure and Idi Majuek, among others, launched their careers.
Many artistes recall how literary greats such as Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Francis Imbuga, Ezekiel Alembi and Opiyo Mumma held pre-production plans and activities, including proofreading, that went on to shape impactful plays and novels churned out from the space.
This time, the Crib returns with a fresh facelift, rebranded as Titanium Restaurant after the old Wasanii Restaurant took a break.
“We are glad to have this restaurant up and running. It is such a relief because without it, artistes get scattered all over the place, but with this we have a common rendezvous,” said David Aliwah, who pioneered the current generation of artistes producing stage adaptations of school set books for Literature.
Strategically located along Harry Thuku Road, the restaurant will also revive the old theatre tradition of theatre-goers enjoying a bite or a drink before and after performances, as they casually review what they have watched.
Titanium Restaurant stays true to Kenyan African cultural traditions, with a menu dominated by local cuisine such as managu, kunde, dek and spinach.
Proteins include dried and smoked fish, aliya, osubuko, mbuzi choma and kachumbari.
A visit to Titanium yesterday found a local Congolese band rehearsing for the grand opening on April 2, promising rhumba lovers a memorable Easter.
The group will perform every Friday, while other days will feature themed activities including karaoke nights, book readings and launches, open mic sessions and spoken word performances.
“We are here to ensure artistes have a truly satisfying time, especially those coming to produce here. We also want those coming to watch performances to enjoy great hospitality and theatre,” said one of the directors, who was supervising final touches ahead of the launch.
This week will also see the staging of the whimsical comedy play Mgonjwa Mwitu, directed by award-winning director Stuart Nash.
The producer of Sarafina! and I Will Marry When I Want, among other notable plays, is promising a delightful rendition.
“We welcome all theatre-goers to buy tickets. This will be a memorable show,” he said.